Bayern v Porto preview
Monday, April 20, 2015
Article summary
The odds are stacked against FC Bayern München as they seek to overturn last week's 3-1 defeat by FC Porto but Josep Guardiola is backing them to do the improbable.
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Article body
• Josep Guardiola "optimistic" Bayern will overturn a 3-1 first-leg loss
• Julen Lopetegui says his Porto side must command their own destiny
• Bayern have won all four at home in this season's competition, scoring 13 without reply
• Porto are unbeaten in the UEFA Champions League this term
• The semi-final draw takes place in Nyon on Friday at 12.00CET
Possible lineups
Bayern: Neuer; Rafinha, Boateng, Badstuber, Bernat; Alonso, Lahm, Thiago; Götze, Müller; Lewandowski.
• Out: Alaba (knee), Benatia (thigh), Martínez (knee), Robben (abdominal muscle), Starke (ankle)
• Doubtful: Ribéry (ankle), Schweinsteiger (ankle)
Porto: Fabiano; Ricardo, Maicon, Marcano, Martins Indi; Herrera, Casemiro, Óliver Torres; Quaresma, Martinez, Brahimi.
• Out: Alex Sandro (suspended), Danilo (suspended), Tello (thigh)
Josep Guardiola, Bayern coach
The game is a big challenge, but when you're coach of a club like Bayern every day is a challenge. During the last few weeks, which have not been easy for us, I have learned a lot about my work.
I am very satisfied being coach of this club. Even with all the problems we have, we are in the semi-finals of the German Cup, we will probably retain the German title and we are still in the running in the Champions League. But I know the club I am working for. It is like in Barcelona or Madrid – only the treble is enough.
When you are trainer of a club like Bayern, you know how things are: if you win you are a genius, if you lose there will be lots of criticism. This is part of the job.
Tomorrow we have to take more risks. That is normal after the game in Porto. I am optimistic and realistic. After a 3-1 loss in Porto, it will not be easy at all, but I am optimistic we will go through to the semi-finals.
Julen Lopetegui, Porto coach
Of course we'll have to make some changes, but the way we approach the game will remain the same. We are a team without any big surprises and quite predictable: when we have the ball we want to attack; when we don't have the ball we want to get it back. I don't waste energy and time thinking about what will Bayern do. We need to focus on ourselves.
We need to put into practice everything we have trained for. We have great ambition. It will be a very difficult test but we must try to find simple answers. We are playing against Bayern, one of the best teams in the world. We cannot focus on what might happen; we must instead try to determine what does happen, out on the pitch. We will try to create chances and play our own game.
We are proud of what we have achieved in the Champions League this season. We will work hard, impose our style on the game and try to score. There is no specific key to winning the tie. It is not about the details; it is all about your approach.
Weekend results
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 0-2 Bayern (Rode 38, Beck og 90+3)
Porto 1-0 A. Académica de Coimbra (Hernâni 12)
Form guide (all competitions, most recent first)
Bayern: WLWDWL
Porto: WWWWLD
Match facts
• Which Porto player made his FC Barcelona breakthrough under Josep Guardiola in 2011/12? Find out in our extensive match background.